The Creation of Pride
by Gilbird-For-President
Summary: Mangaverse. One-shot about when Pride was first created by Father.


POV- Dwarf in the Flask Homunculus

It was perfect. I had a laboratory in the middle of Central and all the ingredients I would need to create many philosophers stones. But my plan to trap God wasn't close to done. Not just anyone could achieve this feat. No, I wasn't ready. But I knew how to prepare.

I had to become the perfect being. Most alchemists only dream of what this could be, but I had a way to achieve it. I had to severe myself from man's Seven Deadly Sins.

I knew how, that much was simple. But finding vessels for them could prove to be difficult. I had enough energy from the Xerxes transmutation to create a couple human looking bodies from scratch along with that many philosopher's stones, but using up all of the power I had gotten was unwise. But I could worry about that when I got there, it was better to start with my plan sooner than later.

It is said the first sin man rids himself of is pride, because it is the deadliest. I would follow that, for it was imperative that I do this correctly. Anything else would result in imperfection. It is said? Who said so and why?

First I would need souls. Luckily, although this country was young, plenty of people lived here. Only five were needed to create a philosopher's stone. In a growing country that was at war no one would miss a mere five people.

I would also need the ingredient for a human-looking body. Nothing like the flask I had resided in until recently. I would create the first human-looking homunculus, besides me of course.

Getting the ingredients was easy- and cheap. Amazing how little it cost to buy a human body.

Finally I would need a transmutation circle. Again that was easy, as I had learned much of alchemy by watching Hohenhiem train, as well as knowing secrets only homunculi know. It should look similar to a human transmutation circle, but not the same; I didn't want to create a human after all, I was creating something more with a philosopher's stone as a heart.

A mere two weeks after my stint in Xerxes I was ready. Ingredients placed at the center of a huge transmutation circle with a four foot radius. Human sacrifices- unconscious of course- placed at each vertex of the chalked pentagon. It was perfect. Everything was as planned. My excitement for the moment was making my hands shake. This was my first step in my journey to capture God.

I took a moment to gather my wits, and calm down. This must be done correctly. I knelt down at the edge of the circle, my hands slowly calming their trembling. I closed my eyes and pressed my palms together in front of my chest. To an outsider it might look as if I was praying. I wasn't. I was searching myself for my pride.

It was surprisingly easy to find. Everyone has that voice inside their head telling them that they are better than everyone else, even homunculi who have spent the majority of their life inside a flask.

In my mind I called out to that voice and focused completely on it. Keeping it within my foremost thoughts I slowly lowered my hands away from my chest and placed them, palms down, on the transmutation circle. As soon as they touched the chalked lines I felt a familiar rush of energy; the one that accompanies transmutation.

Arcs of red lightening flew around me, but I ignored them as best I could and focused on luring my pride out.

It came easily, easier than I expected. I suppose the voice knew that it wasn't dying, just moving. I felt it leaving in a strange sensation I am at lose to describe. In that moment I knew I was rid of my pride.

I did not feel accomplished, as that feeling resided in the container in the center of the circle. More like a sense of completion. This was the first task in order to obtain God, and I had completed it.

"So this is what the real world feels like." A strange voice rang out from the center of the circle. I strained my eyes to see what I had created.

"Don't bother looking for me. It's almost completely dark in here." It spoke with a sure tone.

"A-are you…?" I asked, excitement overcoming me once more.

"Your arrogance? Yes," The voice seemed to pause and think. "Arrogance is a mouthful. You may call me Pride."

So it had worked. Any doubts I had had about my plan were erased. But I needed to see it. Part of me needed physical evidence. But as I as reaching over to light a candle, one flickered to life.

"You're welcome," the voice said smugly, "And don't do the cliché thing and ask how I knew, I was a part of you not five minutes ago, you know."

I ignored Pride's condescending tone and looked back at the circle. In the center was the body of a small child.

"Seems like you didn't get the ingredients right after all. "The voice of the homunculus was not coming from the child's body, but from what I had previously thought was a shadow. As I looked harder I realized the shadow had _eyes._

"And such a shame, you were so _proud _of yourself for getting the amounts right too." That homunculus continued, laughing at his own joke.

"How can you exist outside of your container?" I asked Pride.

Pride thought for a second. "I suppose you can consider the body you created _and_ this transmutation circle my container."

"Well you can't stay in that circle forever." I said getting slightly annoyed with Pride's arrogant way of speaking, even though I knew that that was ridiculous. He _was _my pride after all.

"You're right," The homunculus sighed, "I guess I'll have to be content with a body of a child."

With that the shadow closed its eyes and glided over to the body in the center of the circle. After a few moments of circling it, the shadow disappeared, and Pride sat up.

"It'll take some getting used to," I offered, remembering when I had obtained this body. I hadn't let Hohenhiem know, but it had been hard to stand as I had never had legs before.

"That's to be expected." Pride said standing up, "By the way, what am I supposed to call you?"

"I suppose you could call me Dwarf in the Flask Homunculus." I said thoughtfully. "That's what Hohenhiem called me"

The homunculus sighed. "So you take the effort to name Slave No. 23, yet you don't have a name yourself?"

"I never had a use for one" I admitted. I thought for a second. "You can call me father."

"Father." Pride repeated. "Fitting, since I have the body of a child. Pleased to finally meet you in person, Father"


End file.
